New Delhi: The Constitution of India belongs equally to every citizen and must not become the exclusive preserve of an elite cosmopolitan class capable of funding expensive legal processes, Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant has stated.
Speaking on Thursday, May 21, the Chief Justice emphasised that the founding document was never intended to serve as a privilege for a wealthy minority who can afford to engage top legal minds to assert claims outside its original spirit.
The CJI's remarks were delivered via a recorded video message broadcast during the launch of The Constitution Is My Home: Conversations on a Life in Law, a memoir by senior advocate Indira Jaising. Chief Justice Kant, who had been invited as the chief guest, was unable to attend the ceremony in person due to a scheduling conflict with an upcoming summit of BRICS judges.
In his address, Chief Justice Kant challenged the notion that the Constitution is merely a detached legal text governing society from afar. Instead, he described it as an active, living framework that remains a constant presence across the nation.
"The Constitution is truly our shared home. It belongs not to judges alone, nor to lawyers, State or public authorities. It belongs equally to every citizen, be it an urbanite or a ruralite, or the poorest of the poor, or the marginalised, who seek justice within its framework and place faith in its promises."
While acknowledging its operational centrality within formal legal spaces such as courtrooms, chambers, and judicial deliberations, the CJI argued that the true efficacy of the document is ultimately measured by its tangible impact on the daily lives of everyday citizens and the overall health of the democracy.
Turning to the core tenets of constitutionalism, the Chief Justice observed that the philosophy is fundamentally rooted in maintaining harmony between institutional authority and foundational principles. He noted that public institutions operate at their peak only when power and responsibility are balanced by accountability, transparency, and a strict fidelity to democratic ideals.
He concluded that this continuous institutional commitment is precisely what equips a democratic society to adapt dynamically to changing socio-political circumstances, ensuring the nation evolves without losing the core values that sustain its framework.
(Inputs from PTI)